Rav Mordechai Rottenberg (1872-1944). Born in Krakow to Rav Naftali, a close confidant of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, Reb Mordechai learned with Rav Shlomo Halberstam, the Bobover Rebbe, and then at several yeshivos in Hungary. He married the daughter of the Rav of Tzehlim, Rav Dovid Friedman, and later became a dayan in the city. In 1905, he was chosen to be the Rav of Wadowitz in Western Galicia. In 1912, he became Rav of Antwerp, where he served for 30 years. He was taken by the Nazis to the camp in Vittel, France, and on the day after Shavuos of 1944, the inmates were all taken by truck to a death camp in Eastern Europe. During his life, he authored Yad Mordechai.

Today in History – 10 Sivan

· The final masechta of the entire Talmud Bavli was printed by Bomberg in Venice, 1523. It culminated a four year project.
· Napoleon’s Waterloo defeat, as British and Prussian troops defeated the French in Belgium, 1815. The defeat put a final end to Napoleon’s rule as Emperor of France.

As given in the introduction to Sefer Maasei Rokeach (in Kol Kisvei HaRav Elazar Rokeach), his Yartzeit is 27 Tishrei 5502.

Tomorrow, 11 Sivan (5731) will be the 40th Yartzeit of my Father ZT”L, the Hivniver Rebbe (of Hivniv [Uhnow], Lemberg [Lvov], and New York), HaRav David Rokeach ZT”L. A biography is in the Sefer Toldos Anshei Sheim.